One type of phytonutrient is phyosterol, which exists in a lot of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, cereals and legumes, and occurs throughout the plant kingdom. B-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol are the most typical phytosterols, and are known to be relatives of cholesterol that improve ones health. The differences between the chemical structure of cholesterol and that of phytosterols are very minute, but they are what determine the different impacts these phytosterols make.
Similar in form and function to cholesterol in animals and humans, phytosterols function to regulate the fluidity of cell membranes in plants. Phytosterols have received a great deal of attention from researchers seeking safer means of helping people maintain healthy blood cholesterol concentrations, healthy cardiovascular systems and healthy hearts. It appears that phytosterols interfere with the intestinal recycling of the cholesterol produced by the liver, effectively reducing the availability of cholesterol to the body and may also inhibit a percentage of dietary cholesterol absorption. This is likely due to the structural similarity of these compounds with cholesterol. The most effective way of dosing plant sterols seems to be with or near a meal. While some research shows that plant sterols can be effective regardless of when they are taken, other research suggests that taking phytosterols in divided doses increases their beneficial effect.
Virtually all of the research and all of the rigorous mathematical analyses of the research that have been conducted consistently show powerful associations between phytosterol consumption (in foods or in dietary supplements) and support of healthy blood cholesterol concentrations, healthy cardiovascular systems and healthy hearts.
U.S. FDA: “Phytosterols Lower LDL-Cholesterol”
After conducting an intensive and extensive detailed review of “the totality of publicly available scientific evidence,” the US Food and Drug Administration has concluded that 1) “there is significant scientific agreement to support a relationship between consumption of plant sterol esters (especially ß-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol) and reduction in the risk of developing heart disease”; 2) “plant sterol esters reduce blood total and/or LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) levels to a significant degree”; 3) blood HDL(the “good” cholesterol) levels are not decreased by the consumption of plant sterol esters; and 4) these benefits can be obtained by individuals with either elevated blood cholesterol levels or normal healthy blood cholesterol levels.2 In addition, the blood cholesterol-lowering response occurs regardless of the composition of the rest of the diet.
New Scientific Research: “Phytosterols Lower LDL-Cholesterol”
Conclusions that have been derived by the US Food and Drug Administration have been echoed in recent research findings that have been published since the government’s decisions. One example is a study that was published in the Journal of Nutrition, which showed that regardless of what was consumed in a diet, the cardiovascular health of men and women with blood LDL cholesterol concentrations within the “average” range (blood LDL cholesterol concentration less than 100mg/dL) received greater support from the addition of phytosterols to their daily diets. Comparable benefits were experienced in another study of men and women who had elevated blood cholesterol concentrations. Studies have consistently shown that phytosterols taken in doses of 2 to 3 grams per day can reduce LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels by about ten percent. In addition to their beneficial effects on blood lipid levels, phytosterols can also normalize inflammatory response of the immune system.
A comprehensive meta-analysis published earlier this year (2009) analyzed the results of 84 clinical trials using phytosterols.6 The authors concluded that their rigorous analysis confirmed the ability of phytosterols to significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels. The ability of phytosterols to reduce LDL concentrations was found to be dose-dependent. Again, they concluded that approximately 2 grams of phytosterols taken on a daily basis seemed to reduce LDL cholesterol by nearly 10%.
Phytosterols can be added to the diet as peanut oil, extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, raw or roasted peanuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, flax seed, cashews, almonds, pecans, pistachios, sunflower seeds, walnuts or as a high-quality dietary supplement.
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